One of the pony-sized wolves charged with its jaw wide open, showing its big and sharp fangs which seemingly capable of tearing through a very thick leather.

The red-haired witch found herself only a inch from death, when suddenly a trident blade pierced the wolf from below its jaw all the way to its brain and beyond. Sophia sighed in relief.

Declan who just saved Sophia's life called, “Guys, return! Let us cast some magic spells to scare these monsters away!”

Lei then immediately entered the center of the formation. “Good idea, young man! Vare Jokulhaups Nek’havr!”

Exploiting her snowy surroundings, Lei spinned her staff in a flat circle, preparing her strongest spell, Avalanche. Waves of snow rose to sweep on all directions. Even the frozen leaves hanging from the trees were not spared.

“How terrible…” Maven covered her mouth in dread.

“Oh, the worst is still yet to come,” Nepathya replied. She raised her staff once more.

“Huh, what do you mean?” Declan asked.

“Don’t bother her! Stay in formation!” snapped Reyl.

Maven and the party advanced slowly in formation. The next moment, they could hear the rustling sound from the snow pile around them. The elf girl went forward to get a clearer view, and she found a number of creatures were raising from the snow. The wendigos.

“The monsters are cold-proof! Let’s scatter! Declan, watch over Sophia and Madame Lei!” Reyl ordered before charging.

“Yes, captain!” Declan complied in half-jest.

Without any more word Maven charged in opposite direction to Reyl, jumping from tree to tree like a monkey with wings, stabbing upon the heads of unsuspecting wendigos. A monster tried to reach for its attacker. Alas, it fell on the with snow with its brain shredded apart, dying it red with its blood.

Again Maven flashed like flying, stabbing another wendigo on the back. This time her dagger felt like it was piercing a swan feather coat. Maven immediately stabbed her second dagger, and her feet were suddenly pulled by yet another wendigo’s muscled arm. Maven was plunged to the ground. Groaning in pain, the elf jacked herself off the ground.

At the same time, three wendigos beat their hands to make a crater on the place where Maven fell before. Seeing an opportunituy, Maven thrusted her dagger deep in the back with the Treacherous Stab move on the sides of the head of the neckless monster. That part was a wendigo’s weak point.

A moment later, a sturdy, furred arm swept against Maven’s hip, throwing her far away and scattered her daggers. Two wendigos immediately jumped on the cowering helpless elf. Maven could only lifted her head, preparing for the worst.

Suddenly came a growl, followed by the sound of heavy punches. Maven curiously looked up to find giant limbs, flying like massive fur balls to all directions. The only one left was a half-giant creature that resembled a pile of white fur. Maven blinked her eyes to see it more clearly. Suddenly the creature emerged taller and bigger, showing its strong arms and limbs. Its round face turned towards Maven. It then opened its jaw wide, roaring like thunder.

There was no mistake, it was a polar bear.

Maven retreated instantly when she suddenly heard a yell. “Tobar, stop!"

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The yell that came from a deep, hoarse-voiced man was obeyed by the bear. The creature returned to crawl on four feet, shaking its head and sniffing, then stayed in place. Maven was baffled by what she was seeing. She rose up without thinking nor preparing for anything.

The next moment, came a stocky human-like figure, wearing a cloth and hood made of white fur. The short man then spoke from his mouth that was almost hidden by his thick brown beard, braided in two. “Hey, lass! What brings you to this forest of eternal snow?”

“I came with my friends. It’s a long story, but please tell us your name. I am Maven Istravel, a monster hunter.” The elf girl became warry.

“Forgive my rudeness. My name is Bangor, and I live in this forest with my loyal partner, Tobar.” The short man pointed at his bear with his palm covered in thick white glove. “I was just tailing a pack of wendigos when I found you here caught in danger."

Accepting Bangor’s explanation, Maven loosened her previously tense shoulders. Then she went to search for her pair of daggers to find them still stuck on a corpse of a wendigo. After sheathing both of them, Maven answered the old man. “So that’s how it is. Thank you very much, Bangor and Tobar, you have saved my life.”

“Nay, nay, don’t sweat it,” Bangor replied.

A moment later, Maven then realized something. “Oh right… Bangor, you live in this forest, right? A hunter no less. Surely you’re acquainted with the nooks and crannies of this maze of a forest.”

“Aye, surely.” Bangor nodded confidently.

“So, can you guide us?”

“I can, but that doesn’t mean…”

“Great! Vadis be praised! My friends will be so glad!” Suddenly Maven facepalmed. “Oh snap! I almost forgot, they might be still in danger right now! Come on mister, follow me!”

“Oy, wait! Listen…”

Quickly Maven pulled the short man by the hand. Tobar the bear immediately followed behind them.

Bangor could only lifted his shoulders. “Youngsters. So full of spirits that they neglect manners.”

As they arrived at an open plains, Maven found her friends still being overwhelmed by the remaining wendigo pack. She, Bangor and Tobar thus charged at once. Their ambush successfully routed the monsters. The opportunity was not wasted. One wendigo was minced and burned by a sword charged with fire magic, another got skewered by Declan's trident, and one more fled with its hands torn apart, bitten by the dwarf hunter’s bear. The remaining wendigos dispersed in fear to all direction.

Declan showed his thumb up to Maven. “Awesome, Mave! Great Manuever!“

Lei also commented. “Your skill in battle tactics indeed exceeds my expectation. By the way, who are the gentlemen accompanying you, Maven?”

Maven smiled widely. “This is Tobar, The Polar Bear, and this is his partner Bangor.”

“Greetings, I am Nepathya Lei, and they are Sophia, Declan, and…”

At that time Reyl emerged from the other side of the woods, with bruises all over his body and panting breath. “Huff, huff… weird, the wendigo I was fighting suddenly ran away for no reason. What has scared them away?”

Sophia pointed and replied, “It was that polar bear and its master, the dwarf.”

“Hee?” Reyl turned towards Bangor and approached him. “I suppose that I owe you one, mister…”

“Bangor, and this is my bear, Tobar.”

“Reyl Adelant, nice to meet you.” He shook hands with Bangor. “One thing got me curious, however. What kind of blessing have brought to us these kind saviors?”

“Me and Tobar were in the middle of a hunt when we suddenly heard the sounds of a fight and came to help.”

Maven confirmed. “Yup, exactly like that. Now, to continue our conversation, as you can see me and my friends are going to the Crystal Palace of Zaburyvostok. We are having difficulties in traversing this great forest with only a compass. We simply kept circling in the same place and got surrounded by wendigos instead. We need a guide, and it turns out that Vadis has sent you to us as his miracle. So I’ll ask you once more, will you help us?”

“By Joldin, the problem is…”

“Please..!”

“Listen to me…!”

Following Maven, Sophia also pleaded, “Please, sir. Our and Reyl’s safety depends on it.”

Being pleaded to by two pretty faces, Bangor’s stern expression began to loosen. Then he sighed. “Aye, I’ll help ya.”

“Yay! Thank you, mister!” Maven cheerfully replied.

“But wait!” Bangor extended his palm. “I have conditions. First, you must surrender everything you get from the monsters you will kill in this forest to me.”

Reyl responded, “Hmm, no problem. What matters is that we can enter and exit this forest alive. Anything else?”

“Aye. I don’t want to enter that cursed Crystal Palace. Once we arrive there, I’ll return to hunt in the woods while waiting you fellas to come back from that place.”

“Is that so?” Declan responded cynically. “I thought an experienced hunter like you would have the balls to explore even the most dangerous places.”

“Hey, young kid, you don’t know me enough to judge me like that. I have my own reasons from my own experiences, so you can only believe me. So how is it? Will you accept my terms or not?”